Sitamarhi set for a direct fight, NDA fires on all cylinders for Thakur’s win

PATNA: Sitamarhi, along with Saran, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani and Hajipur will vote in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20.
JD(U)’s Devesh Chandra Thakur (71) is contesting the Lok Sabha for the first time. In 2019, Sunil Kumar Pintu of JD(U) defeated RJD’s Arjun Ray (52) by over 2.5 lakh votes, but this time the party has bet on Thakur, also the chairman of Bihar Vidhan Parishad.

Sitamarhi basks in religious glory for being the birthplace of Mata Janaki (Sita) of the Ramayana fame and having elected stalwarts like Acharya J B Kripalani in 1957.Despite its religious importance of Punaura Dham, the birthplace of Sita did not get prominence like Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, because BJP never got a chance to field its candidate here so far.
Lack of any burning issue in the constituency spread over the twin districts of Sitamarhi and Sheohar has thrown the battleground open on caste and religious lines as the Vaishya community, which has about 20 sub-castes, is reportedly pissed off with JD(U) for denying ticket to the caste man Pintu and also to sitting MP Rama Devi in the neighbouring Sheohar.
The NDA is making all efforts to woo the Vaishya community and keep its upper caste and EBC votes intact. The constituency has elected an Yadav candidate at least 10 times in the past. Arjun had won the 2009 polls on a JD(U) ticket and asked people to vote for him on his work done in his five-year term as MP, compared to Thakur’s over 22 years of political career in the area in different capacities, like MLC and minister, “but have done nothing”.
However, Thakur enjoys the reputation of a suave politician and banks on PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish. Thakur has even shared on his social media platform a recent PM Modi’s letter of appreciation for his candidature from Sitamarhi. But Arjun takes aim at Thakur for being a Brahmin and says only he can serve the people with “folded hands”.
BSP candidate Bhola Singh, a Kushwaha by caste, however, admits that Thakur has support among the 24% dalit votes because of LJP (RV) being an NDA partner. But he flays the outgoing MP for doing nothing for the area. “The urban areas lack even good roads while farmers need water for irrigation,” he said.
Bhola said there are 2.5 lakh Yadav and the equal number of Kushwaha and Vaishya voters.
Thakur has support among the upper castes and Kushwaha votes are divided between JD(U) and RJD while Muslims are solidly behind Arjun, he says.
BJP national president J P Nadda campaigned in neighbouring Sheohar on Wednesday. Chief minister Nitish Kumar has already sought votes for Thakur and several NDA caste leaders are camping in Sitamarhi to cajole the Vaishya community.
Interestingly, Thakur was the first person whom CM Nitish had declared his party candidate much before the Election Commission announced the 2024 polls.
Once a part of the Muzaffarpur North-West constituency, Sitamarhi comprises six assembly segments and the NDA has its MLAs in five seats of Bathnaha (BJP), Parihar (BJP), Sursand (JD(), Sitamarhi (BJP) and Runnisaidpur (JDU).). RJD could win only from Bajpatti assembly segment.